We're here to help you plan your weekend, with best picks from our entertainment reporters, critics and bloggers.
OUT AND ABOUT
Salt Lake City Jazz Festival • 4:30-11 p.m. Friday, 3-11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Washington Square, 451 S. State St. Admission $16 per day or $35 for all three days. For more information, www.slcjazzfestival.org.
4th Annual Eyes to the Sky Balloon Festival • Friday through Sunday, Salina. Twenty hot air balloons will launch one mile west of Salina 6:30 a.m. daily. Events on Saturday include a breakfast by the Aurora Fire Department, a bingo tournament, vendor booths, games for the kids, free swimming, etc. Admission free. For more information, www.eyestotheskyballoon.com or 435-893-0458.
Ice Block Day • 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Hogle Zoo, 2600 Sunnyside Ave. It's time for a very cool Hogle Zoo tradition on one of the hottest days of the year; a day where many Hogle Zoo animals get their run of refrigerated refreshments from food frozen in ice pops to giant 300-pound ice blocks. Ice-themed contests and games will be set up in the Oasis Plaza. For more information, www.hoglezoo.org.
The Days of '47 KUTV Pops Concert • 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple. Sterling Poulson is in his 15th year as music director and conductor of the Pops. Join the Choral Arts Society of Utah Master Chorale and the American Heritage Lyceum Orchestra, Kayson Brown, conductor, for two nights of patriotic and inspirational music. Admission is free but tickets are required. Tickets are available at Daynes Music, 6935 S. State. Those without tickets will be seated on a first come, first served basis after 7:15 p.m. For more information, www.daysof47.com/events/kutv-pops-concert/ or 801-363-9708.
Yogi Bear movie in the park • 9 p.m. Friday, City Park, 11010 South Redwood Road, South Jordan. Pre-movie guests will be the Humane Society. Their pet care outreach personnel will be on site to give a presentation on basic pet care and grooming. They will also have pets on site for adoption. Admission free. For more information, www.southjordancity.org/recreation/specialevents-sightsandsounds.asp.
Park City Food & Wine Classic • through Sunday, various locations in Park City. Master winemakers, culinary greats, and distinguished guests will gather to play, wine, and dine. Experience more than 100 food artisans, wineries, breweries, distilleries, epicurean purveyors, and locally made products. Admission varies. For more information, www.parkcityfoodandwineclassic.com/media/Winery-Inquiry-2011.pdf or 303-777-6887.
Waterwise Plants for Summer • 10-11 a.m. Saturday, Conservation Garden, Park, 8215 S. 1300 West, West Jordan. Come to find out which plants are at their peak during the summer. This is a tour, so please bring your walking shoes and sun protection. This class is hosted by Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District. Classes are free, but seating is limited so register early. For more information, www.conservationgardenpark.org/event_detail.aspx?eid=343 or 801-565-4300.
Family Art Saturday: To Market, to Market • 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Salt Lake Art Center, 20 S. West Temple. Families will customize their own personal tote bags with colorful fabric markers. Makes a great market bag, book bag, or every-day carryall. Admission free. For more information, www.slartcenter.org/ or 801-328-4201.
28th Annual Payson Scottish Festival and Highland Games• Friday and Saturday, Memorial Park, 250 S. Main St., Payson. Dance a Highland Jig to the bagpipes and enjoy athletic competitions, activities for children, a parade and traditional ethnic food. Admission free. For more information, www.paysonscottishfestival.org or 801-891-6796.
Super Spartan Race • 9 a.m. Saturday, Soldier Hollow, 2002 Olympic Drive, Midway. If you have ever tried trail races or mud runs, this obstacle race is something you will not want to miss. For more information, www.spartanrace.com/utah-obstacle-racing-super-spartan.html or 781-255-9900.
Salt City Derby Girls Red, White and Bruised Bout • 7 p.m. Saturday, The Complex, 536 W. 100 South. This league bout is open to all ages. The game will be Salt City Derby Girls, Scars team in red vs Salt City Derby Girls, Bruised team in blue. Admission $10 in advance, $15 at the door. To buy advance tickets, thecomplexslc.com. For more information, www.slcderby.com or Kersten Robbins 801-971-1577.
14th Annual July Jamboree Street Festival • Friday and Saturday, downtown Main Street, Cedar City. Main Street comes alive with a spectacular car show, live entertainment & vendors. Admission free. For more information, www.julyjamboreecc.com or 435-586-3121.
Greek Festival Days • 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 61 S. 200 East, Price. Dancing, entertainment, tours of the church, gift shop. Admission free. For more information, www.castlecountry.com or 435-637-7398.
LIVE
Ryan Hamilton • The New York City-based stand-up comedian considers Utah his "first comedy home," since he grew up in Ashton, Idaho, a small farming community of about 1,000 people in southeastern Idaho before graduating from BYU. In an interview, Hamilton said being from Utah has helped him in New York. "I started comedy here, and most of my career as a comedian has been spent in Utah," he said. "Even in New York, I'm still often writing from the perspective of someone from Utah and Idaho who is living in New York. My focus is on creating an act I can perform almost anywhere without sacrificing honesty. ... Sometimes people don't believe that I do the same jokes in a bar in New York City that I do in a church function in Utah, but I really do." He has been riding a wave of success recently, having done a short set on Conan O'Brien's late-night show, and Hamilton is still basking in his win a few weeks ago at The Great American Comedy Festival, a national competition produced by the booker of "Late Night with David Letterman: and takes place in Norfolk, Nebraska, Johnny Carson's hometown. "The festival honors Johnny," Hamilton said. "I won the competition there and am honored to be a part of it."
When • Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9 at 7 and 9 p.m.
Where • Wiseguys West Valley City, 2194 W. 3500 South, West Valley City
Tickets • $10 at wiseguyscomedy.com
Sam Bush Band with Red Desert Ramblers • Although the Gallivan Center has already hosted several events, the venue is officially holding its post-renovation grand-opening party with a free show featuring a hard-charging bluegrass band led by Sam Bush, who once played in Bill Monroe's band and has performed with banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck in The New Grass Revival. Bush, 59, said in an interview with The Tribune that growing up in Kentucky on a farm made him who he is. His father, he said, played fiddle, and his mother played guitar, and they convinced him to become a working musician because "they didn't want [me] to work as hard as they did, in terms of manual labor." He went on to win national fiddle competitions and grew into a backing musician for Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Leon Russell before striking it out on his own. Touring for so long has made him appreciate the wide open spaces in much of Utah. "It's amazing how many people never get to see how beautiful Utah is," he said.
When • Friday, July 8 at 7 p.m.
Where • Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main St., Salt Lake City
Tickets • Free
Steve McDonald • This show of Scottish music is a benefit for the construction of the Clan Donald, U.S.A. Genealogical Library at Ft. Connah, Mont. Ft. Connah was established by Angus McDonald, a fur trapper with the Hudson Bay Colony who was originally from Scotland. He married a Nez Pierce woman and settled in Montana. The Rocky Mountain Region of Clan Donald is bringing McDonald back to perform for Utah fans.
When • Tonight at 8
Where • Sandy Amphitheater, 9400 S. 1300 East, Sandy
Tickets • $20 at SmithsTix
Chris Isaak with Blues Traveler • The two popular acts are in town as part of the festivities associated with the Triple-A All-Star Game at Spring Mobile Ballpark. Isaak's most recent album is 2010's "Live at the Fillmore," while Blues Traveler, featuring John Popper, released its last album in 2008.
When • Saturday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m.
Where • Spring Mobile Ballpark, 7 W. 1300 South, Salt Lake City
Tickets • $24 to $58.50 at SmithsTix
Kenny Chesney with Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington •In a summer packed with country concerts, Kenny Chesney is the biggest star, with his shows more like events than simple concerts. Chesney is promoting his recent album "Hemingway's Whiskey," after taking last year off from touring.
When • Saturday, July 9 at 7 p.m.
Where • Usana Amphitheatre, 5150 S. 6055 West, Salt Lake City
Tickets • $46.50 to $94.50 at SmithsTix
Kansas •The classic-rock band, best known for hits such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind" will perform with the American Fork Symphony.
When • Saturday, July 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Where • American Fork High School, 510 N. 600 East, American Fork
Tickets • $16.01 for adults, $10.69 for youth 16 and under, at SmithsTix
Cold Creek •The outdoor venue featuring the cliffs of Zion National Park will host Cold Creek, which plays traditional and progressive bluegrass music. The band features Jake Workman, one of the five finalists in both the National Flatpicking Guitar Contest and the National Bluegrass Banjo contest in Kansas.
When • Saturday, July 9 at 8 p.m.
Where • Tanner Amphitheater, Springdale
Tickets • $10 at gate
Howard Jones • HoJo is 56, but his 1980s-era hits, such as "What is Love?" and "Things Can Only Get Better," will never die, and are a reminder of how the synth-pop musician helped evolve new-wave music.
When • Saturday, July 9 at 8 p.m.
Where • Sandy Amphitheater, 9400 S. 1300 East, Sandy
Tickets • $17 to $27 at SmithsTix
Salt Lake City International Jazz Festival • Don't forget about this three-day music fest that's one of the highlights of a Salt Lake City summer.
Where • Washington Square, 450 S. 200 East, Salt Lake City
Tickets • $16 at gate for single-day, $35 for three-day pass, at gate
Schedule for today
6:45 p.m. • The Cannonball Band
8 p.m. • Tenor Madness! with Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra
9 p.m. • Russell Schmidt Quartet
9:50 p.m. • Sheila E & the E Family
Saturday, July 9
4 p.m. • The Orbit Group
5 p.m. • Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra
6 p.m. • Tall & Small
7 p.m. • Ellis Hall & The Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra
8:15 p.m. • The Two Tenors
9:40 p.m. • The Golden Age of Vegas
Sunday, July 10
4 p.m. • Emilee Floor
5 p.m. • Corliss Dale with Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra
6:10 p.m. • The Cannonball Band
7:10 p.m. • Don Menza Quartet
8:20 p.m. • Big Band Jam Wrap-Up
— David Burger
SPORTS
Real Salt Lake vs. FC Dallas • 7 p.m. Saturday, Rio Tinto Stadium, 9256 S. State St., www.realsaltlake.com/tickets.
Orem Olwz vs. Idaho Falls • 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday, Brent Brown Ballpark, 970 West University Parkway, Orem. Tickets, web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t519.
Ogden Raptors vs. Casper • 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday, Lindquist Field, 2330 Lincoln Ave., Ogden. Tickets, web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t530.
MOVIES
It's a light week for new movie releases, as Hollywood counterprograms around the second weekend of "Transformers: Dark of the Moon."
The best of the week is "Horrible Bosses," a hilarious and raunchy comedy about three hapless guys (played by Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day) who decide they have had enough of their awful employers (played by Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston, respectively) and try to murder them. The script gets a little messy toward the end, but there are some neat surprises along the way — and the cast (which includes Jamie Foxx as a "murder consultant") is really funny.
At the other end of the spectrum — both in target demographic and overall quality — is "Zookeeper," a misfire of a kiddie comedy. Kevin James stars as Griffin, a zookeeper who is shocked to discover that the animals in his care can talk. The animals allow Griffin to know this secret because they want to help him rekindle his romance with his shallow ex-girlfriend (Leslie Bibb) — though both animals and Griffin don't notice the growing affection for a kindly veterinarian (Rosario Dawson). The voice cast has some heavyweight names (Adam Sandler, Cher, Sylvester Stallone, Nick Nolte), but the humor is all on the throwing-poop wavelength.
Lastly, the Broadway opens "A Better Life," a low-key drama about an undocumented Mexican laborer (Demián Bichir) who strives to earn money to make things easier for his 14-year-old son (José Julián) — and keep him from getting involved in gangs. The script takes some predictable turns, but director Chris Weitz ("Twilight: New Moon") draws a powerful performance from Bichir ("Weeds").
— Sean P. Means
CHEAP CHICK
See Bingham Canyon Mine for free • Admission to Kennecott Utah Copper's Bingham Canyon Mine Visitors Center is free from Friday, July 8, through Sunday, July 17. The whole family can watch really big trucks — they are size of houses — haul copper ore. There's also an interactive visitors center, which is one of Utah's most popular attractions. The free-admission offer applies to passenger vehicles and minivans only. The center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; admission is normally $5 per car. For more information about the mine and visitors center, call 801-204-2025 or go to www.kennecott.com/visitors-center/.
Family Fun Day (for free!) • Children can enjoy free carnival rides, crafts, games, entertainment and treats at Family Fun Day, Saturday at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City. Family Fun Day, part of the state's Days of '47 celebration, is offered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go to www.daysof47.com/2010-family-and-children-events-calendar/ for details about this free event. Go to www.daysof47.com/ for more information about all the Days of '47 celebrations, including free concerts Friday and Saturday at Abravanel Hall in downtown Salt Lake City.
Free Chick-fil-A, Slurpees • Chick-fil-A's annual Cow Appreciation Day is Friday. Dress like a cow, get a free meal. Dress a bit like a cow, you can get a free entree. Go to www.cowappreciationday.com/ for details of this offer.
On Monday, July 11, 7-Eleven locations are celebrating Free Slurpee Day by giving out free slurpees. Go to https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=171477509581811 for details about this annual event.
— Lesley Mitchell
TV
Torchwood (11 p.m., Starz) returns — and it's a whole new beginning.
For one thing, this 10-episode season is titled "Torchwood: Miracle Day" because there is indeed a miracle. No one on Earth is dying. Everyone is suddenly immortal.
Which sounds great. Unless you happen to have been in a horrible accident, complete with great pain, but you just don't die. And, of course, the planet is going to get pretty crowded pretty quickly.
There is, of course, some big plot behind all of this. And it's up to Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) to figure out what's happening.
This season is a British-American co-production. Which is why, while the action begins in the UK, it quickly switches to the USA. And most of the characters are American.
What has always distinguished "Torchwood" from the show that first introduced us to Jack, "Doctor Who," is its sense of humor. It's very bawdy sense of humor.
That's not much in evidence in the first episode, but be patient. It's coming.
Elsewhere on Friday •
Flashpoint (7 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): Ed is rushed to surgery as his wife experiences problems delivering their baby.
Friday Night Lights (7 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): In the second-to-last episode of the series, the fates of the football programs at Dillon and East Dillon are decided.
Whale Wars (7 and 9 p.m., Animal Planet): The Bob Barker races to rescue its small-boat crews before they freeze to death.
Elsewhere on Saturday •
Golf (1 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): Third round of the U.S. Women's Open Championship
CHAOS (7 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): The team tries to talk a dying Middle Eastern dictator into keeping his violent son from taking power.
AFL (7 p.m., Ch. 30): Utah Blaze at Spokane Shock
Outcasts (7 and 10 p.m., BBC America): An enemy surrenders, then escapes.
The Inbetweeners (9 p.m., BBC America): The guys try to fit in at a frat house.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (9 p.m., HBO): Michael Douglas returns in this 2010 sequel. (PG-13)
Come Fly With Me (9:30 p.m., BBC America): Simon's one-night stand is on one of his flights.
The Social Network (10 p.m., Starz): This film biography of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is great entertainment — but how much of it is true? (PG-13)
Elsewhere on Sunday •
Golf (1 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): Final round of the U.S. Women's Open Championship
Big Brother (7 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2): Two contestants are nominated for eviction.
Drop Dead Diva (7 and 10 p.m., Lifetime): Jane's client is suing a sperm bank; Parker tries to get Kim to return to the firm.
Leverage (7 and 9 p.m., TNT): A mark is killed during a sting.
Primetime (8 p.m., ABC/Ch. 4): Diane Sawyer interviews Jaycee Dugard, who was kidnapped and held captive for 18 years.
Masterpiece Mystery! (8 p.m., PBS/Ch. 7): Miss Marple investigates when an old friend is murdered.
The Protector (8 and 9 p.m., Lifetime): Two lovers are found dead in their hotel suite.
Falling Skies (8 and 10 p.m., TNT): Turns out the aliens aren't the only dangerous things out there.
The Marriage Ref (9 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): Kathy Griffin, Ellen Pompeo and Brian Regan are the celebrity panelists.
True Blood (10 p.m., HBO): Sookie makes a deal with Eric; Bill counsels Jessica.
The Glee Project (10 p.m., Oxygen)): Harry Shum Jr. is this week's guest mentor.
The Glades (11 p.m., A&E): A man is found beaten to death in a bathroom stall.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (11 p.m., HBO): In the eighth-season premiere, Larry learns his divorce lawyer isn't kosher.
In Plain Sight (11 p.m., USA): A man is mistaken for his twin.
— Scott D. Pierce
